We Are What We Make Of Ourselves: Why I Took Action With My Life

Every day we live our lives knowing that there is more out there for us, and occasionally we have the realization that we are the masters of our own destiny.

Then we turn on Netflix and that burst of ambition goes soaring out the window.

We revel at those around us who are constantly working on a project or spend their leisure hours picking up new skills and hobbies while we dig into yet another bag of potato chips. I was once a binge-watching, fast-food-eating, master of the state of vegetation. Then, everything changed with one question: “What am I doing with my life?”

Like many of us, I always felt as though I was meant for more, waiting for that dare-to-be-great situation to magically fall into my lap -- but it never did.

I came to accept the old adage that we make our own luck. I decided that I truly was the master of my own destiny, and it wasn't just some mumbo-jumbo people say when they are convincing their friends to go out for the night instead of staying in and watching "Family Guy" reruns.

I took massive action.

Entrepreneurs understand this concept, and that's why we are tirelessly working on projects day and night. We understand that if we aren't busy building our dreams, we are building someone else's. We see the potential we have and act on the desire to close the gap, but the gap never seems to get smaller, does it?

I think that's the best part.

As we close in on the dreams we originally crafted for ourselves, our mind produces grander dreams for us to actualize, and our idea of what is impossible seems to disappear. This is why entrepreneurs always have larger than life goals and people don't take them seriously.

Friends will tell you you're being unrealistic. You may be unrealistic to them and the reality they choose to accept, but you create your own reality each and every day when you wake up. Why not choose to live in a world where anything is possible?

I get it: People want to see their friends do well, but not better than them. This is why entrepreneurs often encourage their friends to start acting on their ideas instead of just talking about them. We see the potential in ourselves and in everyone else to be more than what we currently are.

Knowing we have the potential for greatness and actually fulfilling it are two completely different things. To fulfill our potential requires massive action and abnormal behavior. That is scary. Very few of us like to go against the grain and do what is required of success.

I have studied successful people for a long time, and one thing that every one of them has in common across every field is that no one thought they could do it. They were all ridiculed but kept on going, anyway.

Once you realize you can do anything, nothing can stop you except you and your own fear. If you know that you aren't good enough at something, get better at it. Everyone who is good at something wasn't, at some point. You can't just expect to be good at everything the first time you try it.

Freedom can be defined as the ability to act without restraint. Those who believe they can achieve greatness don't listen to critics; they act without restraint. They act outside of the norm in an attempt to create a new normal.

And then, they succeed.

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